New commercial construction planned for Millcreek Mall area

Construction continues on a Field & Stream store being built near Interchange Road in Millcreek Township. The 50,000-square-foot building is expected to open in late June, 2014. GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

ERIE, Pa. -- Contractors are building a new Field & Stream store for outdoor enthusiasts.

Another developer plans a new 75-room hotel.

And other commercial stores are planned for what already is a busy stretch of Interchange Road, near the Millcreek Mall complex and the Millcreek Marketplace across the street.

The region's central retail shopping district shows no sign of a building slump, though the activity has led to increases in traffic during busy times -- an issue that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to address with a road widening project targeted to begin in 2016 and finish in 2017.

"Traffic's not necessarily a bad thing. If there wasn't a lot to see and do and attract people to an area, then traffic wouldn't be a problem," said John Oliver, president of VisitErie, Erie County's tourism promotion agency.

The nation's third Field & Stream store is being built in the Millcreek Marketplace complex just south of the mall. It's between Buffalo Wild Wings and SpringHill Suites Hotel.

The 50,000-square-foot store is expected to open sometime in spring, said Jack Munch, director of leasing and development for Baldwin Brothers Inc., co-owner of Millcreek Marketplace with the Youngstown-based Cafaro Co., which owns the Millcreek Mall.

Field & Stream, a brand of the Pittsburgh-based Dick's Sporting Goods chain, will sell an assortment of hunting, fishing, archery and camping equipment. It has the potential to draw a lot of shoppers, including those from other cities, to boost Erie County's more-than-$1 billion annual tourism industry, Oliver said.

Field & Stream, Gander Mountain, Dick's, Erie Sport Store and others in the immediate mall and Peach Street shopping area could provide "a kind of destination for those interested in outdoor sporting activities, offering a wide variety of stores in a very close proximity," he said.

A 4,500-square-foot Jared jewelry store opened in November at the Millcreek Marketplace, and there are plans for other stores in a shopping complex that is taking shape.

More big-box stores are planned there, but Munch said he couldn't release tenants' names because leases have not been signed yet. "We're in various stages with a couple of (potential) tenants. ... We know it's going to be a great project. When you get an anchor like Field & Stream, it puts you in a very good position," he said.

The next phase will be on the southern end of the property, closer to Route 99, he said.

Joe Bell, spokesman for Cafaro Co., has said that announcements about new mall tenants could be coming soon.

As for the hotel, it will be built on the north side of Interchange Road, just east of Red Lobster restaurant.

The developer is Michael Patel, chief operating officer of the Chase Hotel Group. Chase owns 12 hotels nationwide, including three in Summit Township.

All of this development could lead to more traffic in the busy mall area, though PennDOT plans to ease the congestion, said Jim Carroll, PennDOT regional spokesman.

PennDOT will widen the route from Zuck Road east to the bridge over Interstate 79. That work will include replacing the bridge over Walnut Creek and adding a center turn lane to the bridge over I-79, Carroll said.

Other work will include adding a right-turn lane for eastbound traffic on Interchange Road going to Route 99, improving drainage from Peach Street to Route 99, and installing new traffic signals, he said.

Design work is expected in 2015, with construction to start in 2016 and finish in 2017, Carroll said.

The project has an estimated price tag of $12 million to $14 million, he said.

Millcreek Supervisor Brian McGrath said the township has sought improvements on Zimmerly and Interchange roads. Interchange Road becomes Zimmerly Road at Village Common Drive, across from the Humane Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

During busy periods, traffic can be backed up as far west as Old Zuck Road, which is just west of Zuck Road, McGrath said. "It funnels down. It's a real bottleneck," he said.

Interchange Road averages about 14,000 vehicles a day west of I-79 and about 19,000 vehicles a day east of I-79, according to PennDOT.

Regardless of traffic issues, McGrath said the township is pleased with the increased commercial development in the mall area.

"I don't know how much the additional development would add to the existing traffic issues, as opposed to (the new stores) just benefiting from existing traffic," he said.

JOHN GUERRIERO can be reached at 870-1690 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNguerriero.